A field experiment was conducted during 2001–02 and 2002–03 on clay loam soil at Rice Research Station, Kaul, Haryana, to evaluate 4 methods of crop establishment and tillage practices in rice (Oryza sativa L.), viz. transplanting, direct seeding in puddled soil by drum seeder, direct seeding in friable soil by seed drill and direct seeding by zero-till drill; and 3 methods in succeeding wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) crop, viz. sowing with zero-till drill, sowing with rotavator drill and conventional sowing, for getting higher productivity and profitability of irrigated rice–wheat system. Manual transplanting of rice gave significantly higher grain yield of rice (70.8 q/ha), followed by direct seeding of rice in puddled soil (58.0 q/ha), whereas the lowest yield was obtained with dry seeding by seed drill or zero-till drill. The wheat sown after dry seeding of rice yielded significantly higher (48.4–49.6 q/ha) than when sown after transplanted (46.3 q/ha) or direct-seeded puddled rice (45.3 q/ha). In wheat, sowing by rotavator drill (reduced tillage) or by zero-till drill (zero tillage) gave significantly higher grain yield (47.4 and 49.6 q/ha respectively) than by conventional method (45.2 q/ha). Transplanting in rice and sowing by rotavator in succeeding wheat resulted in the highest total productivity and profitability of the rice–wheat system.
Bulk density, Crop establishment, Direct seeding, Dry seeding, Rice–wheat system, Rotavator, Zero tillage
